Stories & Articles

The quality of your water matters & poor water quality may be closer to your home than you think. Read some of our stories about water testing and you may be suprised.

3 Reasons To Test Your Tap

Mary Wessel

120 Story - Aug 25, 2016

Let’s face it. Testing your home’s water simply isn’t on the top of your mind. With all of the other chores and tasks around the house, you probably aren’t thinking about what is coming out of your faucet. But think again. Water is a vital part of our daily lives. If we spend hundreds of dollars on organic fruits and vegetables, hormone-free milk and local meats because what we put in our body matters, why wouldn’t we do the same with the one thing that counts in our diet? Here are three reasons why you should test your tap:

1. Health Risks Caused By Water Contamination

Water contamination poses large health risks especially for children and pregnant women. For example, some of the health effects of lead contamination include delays in physical and mental development, damage to learning capabilities, high blood pressure and kidney problems. According to the EPA, there is no safe level for lead to be consumed.

2. What Happens Between The Treatment Plant & Your Home

Although city water is tested at a treatment plant, the composition of your water can change by the time it reaches your tap. Water utility companies do their best to ensure that water is clean and safe as it leaves their facilities, but most contamination actually occurs from corrosion in individual home service lines. Take matters into your own hands, and find out what really happens between the treatment center and your home.

3. Private Water Systems Are Not Regulated

Water testing is extremely important especially for those homes on private water systems. The EPA, unlike homes on city water, does not regulate private water systems or private wells. Private wells are naturally susceptible to contamination by various chemicals and minerals such as arsenic and nitrate due to agricultural runoff, fertilizers and animal waste. Because wells are not federally regulated, it is up to every homeowner to ensure their water is tested and safe for consumption.

Our Health is More Important: Why You Should Test Your Tap

Mary Wessel

120 Story - Aug 11, 2016

Over the course of the past few months, I have grown to be a huge cheerleader for water testing, not just because I am on the marketing team for 120WaterAudit, but because it is a crucial and easy step in targeting health problems in the United States.

Water contamination continues to be a spotlight in the national news. As the media continue to report on clean water issues, I continue to wonder why people are so wary about testing their water. I’m not a scientist by any means, but if we have been trying to find answers to damaging health effects for decades yet lead, arsenic, barium and nitrate are leaching into our water without our knowledge, what would happen to these various health statistics if only we knew what was in our water? What would happen if we eliminated that contamination before repetitive consumption continued? These are just a few of the myriad of questions I have each and every day.

I was recently speaking with an executive of a health care provider about the importance of testing health care facilities – providing exceptional care to patients is their priority right? But as the conversation continued, he said something that stuck with me. While he is aware of water contamination as he mentioned, “I never drink our water because I have the feeling that there has to be lead in it,” he also is yet another person who doesn’t want to think about his water composition. “I just don’t want to actually know what is in the water – it’s easier that way.” I think I just had an Oprah aha moment.

People don’t want to know what’s in their water because they don’t want to face the challenges that come with fixing the plumbing if the contaminant is found. But what about the health effects if contamination is found? According to the EPA, “Lead can affect almost every organ and system in your body.” These problems are amplified even more in children and pregnant women including behavior and learning problems, lower IQ and hyperactivity, slowed growth, hearing problems, anemia, reduced growth of a fetus and premature birth. That’s lead alone, not to mention the cancers, muscle weakness, circulatory and nervous system damage and more from arsenic, barium and nitrate. And once you are exposed, there is no easy fix or prescription.

With these damaging effects, one would think that health care providers, schools and other facilities would want to know what is in their water. While so many people don’t want to know about the composition of their water because of the challenges (i.e. finances) it may take to fix the situation, isn’t our health more important? Our health has to be more important.

Maybe my opinions are the way they are because I google water testing news three times per day, read about the risks of lead and create messaging about getting to know your water. But honestly, I don’t think that’s it. I think we Americans aren’t aware of the health effects, aren’t aware of our aging infrastructure and want to believe that because we live in the United States of America, our water isn’t at risk. Flint was simply one big example of what is happening in pockets all across the country, and I’m here to tell you that your water is something you need to think about.

Don’t avoid thinking about the composition of your water. Your health is more important than your pocket book and so is your peace of mind.

Why Fitness Centers Should Invest in Water Testing

Mary Wessel

120 Story - Jul 28, 2016

Water is a necessity especially when it comes to customers using fitness centers. Gym members fill their water bottles several times per workout session. But what if the composition of the water at your establishment wasn't what you thought? Customers deserve that peace of mind to know they are drinking clean and safe water.

3 Reasons Why You Should Invest in Water Testing

July 22, 2016 - Metcon Media

As a business owner, your to-do list never ends. You wear a lot of hats, you keep balls in the air, and your plate is always full. From managing your team to ensuring your patrons and guests are always having a positive experience, the quality of your establishment's water is probably the last thing on your mind.

The truth of the matter is, you are too busy to be worried about water quality. That's why an investment in testing your water is an investment in the future of your business, and the safety of your customers. From workout facilities to fitness centers, the toxins and harmful substances you find in public water might surprise you.

Restaurants Should Test Their Water: What You Don't Know Might Hurt You

Mary Wessel

120 Story - Jul 28, 2016

Water testing is an important step in building relationships with your customers and giving them that peace of mind, especially when it comes to ensuring they have clean and safe water to drink - including soda and ice machines.

July 26, 2016 - Restaurant Hospitality

3 Reasons to Have Your Water Tested

As a business owner, your to-do list never ends. You wear a lot of hats, you keep balls in the air and your plate is always full. From managing your team to ensuring your patrons and guests are always having a positive experience, the quality of your establishment's water is probably the last thing on your mind. Yet the toxins and harmful substances found in public water might surprise you.

July 21, 2016 (HealthNewsDigest.com) - As a care provider, your to-do list never ends. You wear a lot of hats, you keep balls in the air, and your plate is always full. From managing a care team to ensuring your patients and guests are always having a positive experience, the quality of your facility’s water is probably the last thing on your mind.

The truth of the matter is, you are too busy to be worried about water quality. That's why an investment in testing your water is an investment in the future of your facility, and the safety of your patients. From restaurants to hotels to workout facilities, the toxins and harmful substances you find in public water might surprise you.

120WaterAudit Featured in Media Planet - 5 Ideas to Ensure Your Water Supply is Safe

Following high profile episodes such as lead in the drinking water in Flint, the quality of the nation’s water supplies has come under scrutiny. “Until recently, only a few have questioned the quality of our water supply,” explains Dr. JoAnna Shimek, clinical assistant professor at Indiana University’s School of Public Health. In America, she adds, we assume our supply is safe.

Poor water quality can impact your health, ranging from a malady as mild as an upset stomach, but also so severe that exposure can result in lower IQ and learning disabilities—with the most susceptible being children and pregnant women.

Tips for choosing a drinking water filter for your home.

Allen Pieper

120 Story - Jun 29, 2016

If you find Lead, Arsenic, Nitrate or other contaminants in your water supply what can you do? The best remediation is to eliminate the source of the contamination, but sometimes that's not immediately possible. Installing filters can be a good option for mitigating your exposure to Lead and other harmful contaminants.

Not all drinking water filters are created equal. When choosing a filter it's important to select one that is third-party certified to reduce the levels of contaminants. The NSF International is an organization that certifies and provides resources about reducing your exposure to harmful contaminants in drinking water.

Here's a great video that shows how NSF scientists put these filters to the test some tips for selecting a filter for your home.

120WaterAudit Co-Founder Discusses Importance of Water Testing

Mary Wessel

120 Story - Jun 21, 2016

How do contaminants enter my water? Why is water testing important? Megan Glover, 120WaterAudit's co-founder and CEO, talks to David McGimpsey, founder of The Water Values Podcast, addressing these issues, the future of water testing and 120WaterAudit's role. The podcast covers:

The Importance of Water Testing

Possible Contaminants in Your Water

How Contamination Occurs

And More!

Listen here to learn more about the co-founder of 120WaterAudit, the concerns of water testing and the solution that 120WaterAudit provides.

Testing Drinking Water in Schools a Must

Mary Wessel

120 Story - Jun 10, 2016

June 6, 2016 - WNYT

Advocates: Testing Drinking Water in Schools a Must

ALBANY - One lawmakers calls it "a no-brainer." Another says its mind-boggling such a law doesn't already exist. Many advocates say the bill is absolutely crucial. With all of that said, there is still no absolute guarantee that lead-testing legislation will pass in the next six days. When the Schenectady City School District found low levels of lead in their drinking water, it was because Superintendent Larry Spring saw crises in other parts of the country and he wanted to be proactive.

Why should I test my home's water?

Why should I test my home's water? This is the #1 question we get at 120WaterAudit and it's a good one!

If you're on a private well supply, you should be testing your own water because no else is going to.

If you're on a public water supply your water utility company works very hard to treat and test your water so it's safe to drink. The majority of the time your water leaves the plant perfectly safe. What happens after your water leaves their meter and travels to your tap is a different story. The most common way water gets contaminated is through old infrastructure such as lead service lines or your own home's plumbing.

Testing the taps in your own home is really the only way to ensure you're water is contaminant free. For more information on how lead and other contaminants enter your water supply check out this video by the USA Today.

Tech Entrepreneurs Turn to Tap Water Testing

Hoosier business provides consumers with resource to test their tap water

Mary Wessel

120 Story - May 16, 2016

May 16, 2016 - Fox59 News

Hoosier business provides consumers with resource to test their tap water

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- Following the devastation of the Flint, Michigan water crisis, people all over the country are on edge about what's really in their tap water. Now a central Indiana based business has come up with a solution for you to test your own water on a regular basis.

Compendium Software alumni to launch water-testing startup

Mary Wessel

120 Story - May 12, 2016

May 12, 2016 - Indianapolis Business Journal

Compendium Software alumni to launch water-testing startup

In the wake of the water crisis in Flint, Michigan, and the plethora of news stories about lead-contaminated water elsewhere, entrepreneur Megan Glover began wondering how easy it was for consumers to test their own water.

What she said she discovered was a "consumer-unfriendly" and often-cost-prohibitive situation for many consumers, depending on where they live.

Reason To Be Worried About Bottled Water

Aug. 22, 2016 - Huffington Post

Here's Another Reason To Be Worried About Bottled Water

The bottled water industry is in the midst of a banner year.

Bottled water sales are set to outstrip soda sales in the U.S. for the first time since the Beverage Marketing Corporation began tracking the industry in the 1970s, according data the firm released earlier this month.

On one hand, this could be viewed as a public health victory, especially since industry leaders say rising health concerns linked with the consumption of sugary, calorie-laden sodas are largely driving the trend.

Where Lead Lurks And Why Even Small Amounts Matter

Lead problems with the water in Flint, Mich., have prompted people across the country to ask whether they or their families have been exposed to the toxic metal in their drinking water, too.

When it comes to assessing the risk, it's important to look in the right places.

Even when municipal water systems' lead levels are considered perfectly fine by federal standards, the metal can leach into tap water from lead plumbing.

Kate Gilles moved to Washington, D.C., from Rhode Island for a job in international public health six years ago. When she was pregnant with her son, now 3, and her daughter, who turned 1 in July, she says she paid close attention to her health.

She ate better. She exercised. She followed her doctor's orders. Gilles checked off every task on the long list of things that she was supposed to do to help protect her babies.

But that was before Flint, and it never occurred to her to test her drinking water for lead.

Testing your water with and without a filter.

We received a great question from a 120WaterAudit customer the other day and we thought it'd be good to share in case others are wondering:

We mainly drink filtered water through our refrigerator. Should I test that or my kitchen sink? Nick - California

The answer is both, but first, to get a benchmark of your water's quality you should test the primary faucet that's used for drinking and/or cooking WITHOUT a filter. This will give you a true benchmark as to your home's water quality.

That's not to say; however, that every tap or water source in your house will have the exact same results. Many of our customers choose to purchase a water testing subscription so they can rotate the testing areas in their home throughout the year. Some have even tested their baby's bottled formula water. (we thought this was a great idea!)

After you have that benchmark we do recommend testing your water wit the filter to ensure it's doing what it's supposed to do. For more information about choosing a certified filter for your home, visit the NFG's website.

Some School Districts Test Water for Lead; Many Do Not

May 10, 2016 - The Associated Press

Some School Districts Test Water for Lead; Many Do Not

The Associated Press asked all 295 Washington school districts plus tribal districts whether they test for lead in the water. Of the 174 districts that responded to AP, nearly 40 percent said they do not do test for lead. Many small districts do not test.

But instead of putting $5 million in the state’s budget to pay for lead testing inside public schools, Washington’s Legislature has left school districts to their own devices on this health and safety issue.

Is There Lead in Your Kid's School Water?

May 5 2016 - NBC

Is There Lead in Your Kid's School Water? NBC Surveys 20 Big Cities

The expert who blew the whistle on the Flint water crisis says the only way to protect the nation's school children against lead in drinking water is regular testing of virtually every fountain or sink they might use during the day.

But an NBC News survey of the country's 20 biggest cities shows that very few school districts have met that standard.

Indiana Agency Offering Free Testing of Private Wells

April 1, 2016 - WTHR

Indiana Agency Offering Free Testing Of Private Wells

A state agency is offering Indiana residents free testing of their private wells as part of a push to document the state's ground water quality.The Indiana Department of Environmental Management says state residents are eligible for the free testing if their property contains a private drinking water well.

US Schools Nationwide Still Grapple with Lead in Water

March 26th, 2016 - New York Times

Schools Nationwide Still Grapple With Lead in Water

JERSEY CITY — Anxious parents may wonder how a major school system like Newark’s could overlook lead in the drinking water of 30 schools and 17,000 students. The answer: It was easy. They had to look only a few miles away, at the century-old classrooms of the schools here, across the Hackensack River.

Digging Further Into A Water Problem

March 26th, 2016 - New York Times

Digging Further Into A Water Problem

While the water crisis in Flint, Mich., has focused attention on water safety, many of the country’s 13,500 public school districts take the purity of their water for granted, experts say. Yet lead contamination has been found in schools nationwide.

Michael Wines, Patrick McGeehan and John Schwartz, who have been writing about water safety for The New York Times, recently discussed some of what they have found in their reporting.

Rensselaer Residents Not Worried about Lead in Water

March 20, 2016 - Lafayette Journal & Courier

Rensselaer Residents Not Worried About Lead In Water

Residents in Rensselaer say they have no concerns about their local water, despite tests performed two years ago by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management that showed elevated levels of lead at a number of homes across the city.

Nearly 2000 Water Systems Fail Lead Tests

Beyond Flint: Excessive Lead Levels Found in Almost 2,000 Water Systems Across All 50 States

TESTS FOR CITIES, RURAL SUBDIVISIONS AND EVEN SCHOOLS AND DAY CARES SERVING WATER TO 6 MILLION PEOPLE HAVE FOUND EXCESSIVE AND HARMFUL LEVELS OF LEAD.

While a harsh national spotlight focuses on the drinking water crisis in Flint, Mich., a USA TODAY NETWORK investigation has identified almost 2,000 additional water systems spanning all 50 states where testing has shown excessive levels of lead contamination over the past four years.

How to Test for Lead in Your Home Water Supply

February 10, 2016 - CNN

How to Test for Lead in Your Home Water Supply

(CNN) The water crisis in Flint, Michigan, may have you asking, "Does my home's water contain lead?"

It's possible. The Environmental Protection Agency says between 10% and 20% of our exposure to lead comes from contaminated water. It's even worse for the youngest and most vulnerable: Babies can get between 40% and 60% of their exposure to lead by drinking formula mixed with contaminated water.